1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for handling, processing and resolving a complaint using a computer accessed by way of a telecommunications network, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for receiving a complaint from a complainant concerning a subject, notifying the subject of the receipt of the complaint, receiving a response from the subject, and storing the complaint and associated response as a record in a publicly accessible and searchable computer bulletin board.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When consumers receive unsatisfactory goods or services, they often wish to issue a complaint to the vendors. Typically, consumers have issued complaints directly to the vendors by filling out a complaint form or by directly speaking to the vendor. Although this method of issuing complaints sometimes resolves the particular dispute at issue, it does not provide a means for informing other consumers about the complaint. Additionally, some consumers do not like to issue face-to-face complaints due to inconvenience or embarrassment.
Government and other non-profit consumer organizations have provided means for informing consumers about the products and services of a vendor. When a consumer issues a complaint to one of these organizations, it is incorporated with other complaints concerning the vendor into a file or report on the vendor. If other consumers wish to check the reputation of the vendor, they may request a report from the consumer complaint organization detailing the complaints issued against the vendor.
Although consumer complaint organizations have improved the handling of complaints, they also suffer from several limitations. For example, consumer complaint organizations don't provide a forum for resolving personal disputes because the vendor is never notified directly each time a complaint has been lodged against it. Consumer complaint organizations also do not provide a means for the vendor to publicly respond to the complaint. Although most complaints are legitimate, some are not, and a vendor's reputation can be needlessly harmed by unanswered, unfounded complaints.
Additionally, consumer complaint organizations are typically local or regional organizations without ties to one another. Accordingly, the methods used for resolving complaints vary among the organizations, resulting in inconsistent handling of consumer complaints.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved method for handling a complaint which overcomes the limitations of the prior art. More particularly, there is a need for a method of handling a complaint that allows consumers to lodge complaints, informs the vendor of the receipt of the complaint, allows the vendor to respond to the complaint, provides public access to the complaint and associated response, provides a private forum for the resolution of each complaint, and encourages resolution of the complaint by exposing the complaint to the public.